VALE KARATE WINTER 2016 GRADING

The Winter grading was the first to take place at our new home dojo at Barry Leisure Centre. The grading took place over the weekend of 10th & 11th December and although over 80 took the grading, they did so in small groups, in order for Sensei's Rob and Leah to fully examine each and every student.
It was immediately apparent that the standard of our Children from Red Belt (8th Kyu) to Purple Belt (5th Kyu) has risen in the environment of our new dojo, the attention to detail that we can now devote to each class  has delivered exactly what we were looking for!
Several student have now taken advantage of the private sessions we can now deliver and that too had a bearing on the overall standard. 

Examining small groups has also given us a clear vision of what is needed overall in order to continue raising standards and identified individuals who need more attention.

Congratulations to all students who passed, in particular to our twelve new Brown Belts and six new Black Belts.
Also a special word of congratulation to Sensei Leah who passed her 3rd Dan with flying colours!
A Big Thank You to Doru and Kee who came along to oppose Leah in her ten minutes of continuous and vigorous Kumite which brought the grading to a successful close.

CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR SLIDESHOW

REFINING OUR TRAINING SCHEDULE

After introducing a new schedule at the beginning of November, we have tinkered with the timetable at our dojo at Barry Leisure Centre to increase the benefit to our members.

• The Monday 7pm session for Junior 1st Kyu's is now for Junior 1st Kyu's and Junior Black Belts.
• The Wednesday Fighting Fit sessions for 8 years and below and 9 years and above are now for ten years and below and eleven years and above.
• The Thursday 7pm 'Junior Black Belt' session will now be a Kumite class for Junior brown and Black Belts.

We believe these changes will benefit our club in our relentless pursuit of excellence!

VALE KARATE'S BIGGEST SQUAD YET ATTEND WKL 5!

WKL 5, was organised by Rob, Cathy and Leah and our competitors rose to the challenge attending in impressive numbers, in fact the biggest squad in Vale Karate's history! Eighty-four category entries.

As well as the booming children's squad, who, due to the new improved curriculum, are improving rapidly, it was great to see the return of some of Vale's 'more established' students shaking off the dust and rust to once again step on the tatami for Vale Karate!  
Steve Copeland, Sarah Morgan, Heidi & Kloe Christoforato & Kee Wong all made a comeback and showed that quality doesn't diminish with time... With Steve and Kee meeting in the Male Veterans Kumite final (Steve taking the gold) and Sarah winning the ladies veteran Kata event. Heidi took bronze in the Female Vets Kata, and with Kloe took bronze in the Parent & Child Kata event. Kloe also took U16 Female kata bronze.
Ritchie Godchild made his debut in blazer & greys joining our own Doru Grad.

Our regular medallists didn't disappoint,  with Leah again demonstrating why she's Wales' best all-rounder by taking the Kata/Kumite double. 
Alysha Lee  beat team-mate Ella Forsyth in the final of the U14 Girls Kumite (with Lauren Moran showing our strength in depth in this area with a fine bronze medal winning performance)  
Nathan Shepherd extending his lead at the top of the U10 Novice kata category with another gold ahead of Talia Efstathiou and Daisy Vann and Amelie Fisher having a fantastic result in winning the U8 Girls Kumite.

We also had a presence in all Team Kumite categories with all winning silver medals with the exception of our adult team (Luke, Leah, Stephen) who took gold!

Vale are having a season-long battle Royal with Mandie Read's ASKA GB at the top of the club medal table.
ASKA started the season strongly and had a good lead over Vale after two events. They then missed WKL 3, which handed Vale the lead. They may have expected to take the lead back in Penarth, being just two gold medals behind, however a strong performance from our large squad meant Vale just edged victory (ten golds to nine) to extend their overall lead to three golds (41 to 38) it's going to be close at the end of the season in March! The first time in five season's Vale have been challenged! Bring on WKL 6, in Barry on January 29th! 

Vale results:
Gold
Bradley James: Special & Para Kata
Amelie Fisher: Under 8 Girls Kumite
Nathan Shepherd: U10 Novice Kata
Alysha Lee: U14 Girls Kumite
Leah Copeland: Ladies Kata
Leah Copeland: Ladies Kumite
Sarah Morgan: Female Veteran Kata
Luke Howard: U75Kg Mens Kumite
Steve Copeland: Male Veteran Kumite
Luke, Leah, Steve: Adult Team Kumite

Silver
Jared Butcher: Special & Para Kata
Lucas Widdrington: Special & Para Kata
Amelie Fisher: U8 Girls Kata
Chiara Baker: U16 Shotokan Kata
Lloyd Beer: U8 Boys Kata
Jack Eustace: U8 Boys Kumite
Talia Efstathiou: U10 Novice Kata
Greg James: U10 Advanced Kata
Gracie Sheldon: U12 Novice Kata
Danica Apologista: U14 Advanced Kata
Ella Forsyth: U14 Girls Kumite
Josh Davies: U16 Boys Kumite
Kee Wong: Male Veteran Kumite
Greg, Nathan, Anne: U10 Team Kumite
Rhydian, Ellie-Jayne, Edward: U12 Team Kumite
Sam, Alysha, Elliot: U14 Team Kumite.

Bronze
Connor Ashill: Special & Para Kata
Heidi & Kloe Parent & Child Kata
Danica, Ella, Ellie-Jayne: Team Kata
Angel Manayani: U8 Girls Kata
Elle-Mai Lee: U8 Girls Kata
Elle-Mai Lee: U8 Girls Kumite
Max Riddick: U8 Boys Kata
Lloyd Beer: U8 Boys Kumite
Daisy Vann: U10 Novice Kata
Emillie Thompson: U10 Girls Kumite
Griff Hughes: U12 Boys Advanced Kata
Rhydian Pullin: U12 Boys Advanced Kumite
Chiara Baker: U14 Girls Advanced Kata
Alysha Lee: U14 Girls Advanced Kata
Lauren Moran: U14 Girls Kumite
Kloe Christoforato: U16 Girls Kata
Emma Squire: Ladies Kata
Heidi Christoforato: Female Veteran Kata
Vincent Piguet: Male Veteran Kata

RELAUNCHING...

On Monday 31st October 2016, Vale Karate underwent several major changes in our continued pursuit of excellence!

A new 'VALE KARATE DOJO' at Barry Leisure Centre.
Our small dojo is the home for classes five days a week, with our old weekday groups changed and divided to make smaller classes.
Smaller classes inevitably lead to higher standards. There is also now the opportunity of private 1-2-1 classes.

PLEASE NOTE: We have continued with our big weekend (Friday & Saturday) classes at the Hub (Barry YMCA) where everybody will have the opportunity to train.

NEW BADGE and NEW TRACKSUIT.
We spent a great deal of time discussing and designing our new badge, which encompasses the Welsh Dragon and perhaps the Vale of Glamorgan's most famous landmark, Porthkerry Viaduct. The new Vale Karate Tracksuits with the badge embroidered on the front and VALE KARATE embroidered in silver on the back are now available to buy (Contact Leah)

NEW COACHING SET-UP
Leah Copeland Wales' top all-rounder has now joined me as a full time instructor, and a partner in Vale Karate and I know our coaching team will lead us to even greater success!

Exciting times ahead!!!
 

Rob Copeland

Our new badge features the Welsh Dragon, and perhaps The Vale's most famous landmark; Porthkerry viaduct.

WKL II: WREXHAM

The second WKL event of the season took place in Wrexham in North Wales.

Coming so soon after the exertions of the WUKF World Championships in Dublin, the Karate Wales Open was quieter than expected, however it appears coaches and competitors alike had their sights set on Wrexham as their return to competition, and so this event, historically the quietest of the season, was anything but!

After a bronze at WKL I in Newport, Bradley James was back to winning ways with a gold in the Special & Para Kata in Wrexham. Lucas Widdringtion, now among the older competitors added another Bronze to his collection.

Mandie Read and her Son Daniel from AKA took the Parent & Child Kata for the second consecutive time, Mark & Ella being Vale's only medallists on this occasion.

We have a big entry in the Junior Kata teams but against stiff opposition, only the Vale Warriors (Danica, Ella & Ellie-Jayne) could earn medals, bronzes. 

Danica took another bronze in the Junior Shotokan Kata with Chiara Baker also taking a bronze medal.

Welsh Open champion Amelie Fisher took the U8 Girls Kata gold medal, with Elle-Mai Lee taking bronze. Amelie than took a Kumite bronze, with Elle-Mai going one better, taking the silver.

Nathan Shepherd was again champion in the U10 Novice Kata, with Daisy Vann and Talia Efstathiou each taking bronze medals. in the same age group's advanced Kata section, Gregory James was again champion. Nathan is another of our all-rounders, as demonstrated in the Kumite where he took the silver medal. Kian George took a bronze.

Ellie-Jayne Farrugia took a silver in the U12 Girls advanced kata, just ahead of team-mate Ella Lyons who took bronze.

Griff Hughes took an U12 Boys advanced Kata silver medal.

The talented duo of Chiara baker and Danica Apologista contested the gold in the U14 Girls advanced Kata with Chiara having the edge and taking the Top Spot.

The final of the U14 Girls Kumite, between Vale team-mates Alysha Lee and Ella Forsyth turned from a celebration to a desperately unfortunate outcome as Alysha was taken to hospital after lengthy care on the mat. Without too much detail, Alysha developed breathing problems and couldn't continue. She was awarded the gold with Ella, who was extremely upset and concerned for her friend, awarded the silver.

Leah Copeand took her second consecutive Kata gold, adding a kumite silver later.

Heidi Christoforato returned to the WKL with silver medal in the Ladies Veteran Kata. Mike George took a silver in the mens Vet Kata.

After two events, Vale Karate find themselves in the unfamiliar position of second on the medal table, behind the GB Squad of Mandie Read's All-Styles Alliance.

The season has become very interesting!